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August 15, 2009

G116: Rangers 7, Red Sox 2

Penny (5.2-8-4-4-6, 121) laboured through the first four innings, throwing 94 pitches. Texas stranded seven runners and the Red Sox were fortunate to be down only 4-1.

Boston's runs came on solo dongs from Jason Bay and Victor Martinez. Jacoby Ellsbury singled, doubled and walked, and stole his 53rd base of the year.

The Rangers were eight-for-eight in stolen bases. Julio Borbon stole four and Elvis Andrus stole three (including second and third on consecutive pitches in the fourth). It was the 23rd time since 1954 that a team stole at least eight bases in a nine-inning game (the list).

The Rays were also eight-for-eight in steals against the Sox this year (May 3). Penny started that game, as well. Baserunners are 27-for-29 (93.1%) with him on the hill, the highest rate of any pitcher in baseball.

Holland is a 22-year-old rookie left-hander who has both started and relieved this season. In his last outing, he threw a complete game three-hit shutout against the Angels, on only 96 pitches.

Alex Gonzalez will be with the team tonight; Chris Woodward was designated for assignment. Terry Francona says he plans to split time between Gonzalez and Nick Green. Jed Lowrie is eligible to come back from the disabled list on August 23.

The Globe's Adam Kilgore looks at some fielding metrics and presents evidence that Gonzalez has become merely average in the field since leaving Boston (age and injuries have taken their toll) and could actually be significantly worse in the field than Green.

Tim Wakefield starts today for Pawtucket and he will rejoin the Red Sox after that rehab outing. Catcher George Kottaras will also begin his rehab and catch Wake. Daisuke Matsuzaka threw all of his pitches in a 65-pitch session on Friday. He will throw again on Monday.

My Sox's wins are nothing like the sun;Others wear far more red, than our Sox red:If vict'ry's joy, why then our wins aren't fun;If wins be wires, wired wins come from the dead.I had seen Sox hit with power and might,But no such Sox seen I these many weeks;And in some stadiums is there more delightThan in the jeers that from our fan base reeks.I love to hear them speak, yet well I knowThat the stats hath a far more pleasing sound:I grant I never saw a Williams go, Our OPS, fueled by walks, treads the ground:And yet by heaven, I think our wins as rare,As any Yanks belied with false compare.

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Seat21Row37Section42

We few, we happy few, we band of CorpsesFor he to-day that manages an RBI with meShall be my brother; be he ne'er so OldThis day shall harden his batAnd Woodward DFA'd now-a-learning to fucking buntShall think himself accurs'd he was not hereAnd hold his manhood cheap whiles any SoxThat win with us upon Saint Arnold's day!

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MyDaughterLovesTomGordon

The Nation hath happily received, Victor,The news of thy success; and when they readThy personal venture in the Sox' fight,Our wonders and our praises do contendWhich should be thine or his: silenced with that,In viewing o'er the rest o' the selfsame day,The Nation finds thee in the stout Soxian ranks,Nothing afeard of what thyself didst make,Strange images of game-winning doubles. As thick as hailCame post with post; and every one did bearThy praises in Boston's great defence,And pour'd them down before us.

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Redkluzu

Our game must not persuade that we are old,Although on aged ice Sir Brad and Mike do skate;For when in their time's furrows we behold,We search for how they must approach the plate.For all that frailty that doth cover fields,Missed strikes, missed hits, a range that feels like sin.We rest our spears on what the Rangers wieldAnd in all ways, beat Holland for the win.

O, therefore, Ells and Drew, be oh so waryAnd may Kinght Gonzo's arm appear to chill the Rangers from their game of cheese so hairy, And Pedey keep our team from faring ill.Presume not Rookie when your pitching's hit;And Bullpen, prepareth not to give back a bit

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MeBeingMe

So far has been the month of our discontentMade worse last week by the MFYs of York;But last eve the misery of the bombs dropped on our staffBy men donning the garb of dastard fiends,Was tempered by the great Martinez’s bat;Our third starter’s on-base gaffe turned to a merry jestOur recent sorrows pushed aft for a day at leastOur Wild Card lead extended by a single game.Grim-vis’ged August hath abated just a bit;And now, stead of proclaiming all is lostTonight we sally forth to combat the Texas heat and nine,Our hearty Falstaff aims to take the ball, Yearning to sample the postgame spread;While the Ranger’s slugging HamiltonLooks toward the tavern with wenches scantily clad.Alas, dive thoughts, down to my soul; Here the bats come yet again.

Just wanted to see if anyone here was trying verify Sweet Music's glove-tossing story. I found the articles from after the game (8/21/92), and, other incorrect facts aside, he didn't throw the glove 20 rows up into the stands. He just threw it. And later changed gloves. Butch Hobson said "I thought he was going to throw it into the stands one time," which pretty much proves he did NOT throw it into the stands. So, someone may "still have that glove," but they, too, would be lying.

i don't think he has a valid point. what he is saying (baseball-wise) is exactly what the previous generation said about him, and the generation before that said about that generation. same exact things.

all they care about is money, they don't know how to play the game right (and don't much care), can't do basic things like bunt, never hang around to talk baseball but run off right after the game is over, ungrateful, self-centered ...

it's all the same.

ty cobb has a great quote from 1925 ripping players then as compared to when he broke in.